Kyra DaCosta and Janine LaManna to join Sweet Charity starting in Boston- Page 2

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 11:14pm

Going to be on the news any moment.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 11:21pm

http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=508277

[kjklo]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 11:21pm

What's going on? The show's going down the toilet, that's what's going on, which doesn't surprise me, based on the perfectly dreadful internet video material I've seen, and the extremely discouraging word of mouth. You simply don't cast a theatrical newcomer (no matter how well-meaning or hard-working) in something originally designed as a showcase for the greatest Broadway dancer of all time.

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 11:28pm

Well said kjklo.

[Marquise]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:05am

true. i mean even though the book by neil simon is one of his "weaker efforts" the show is by no means a "sit-com".
Updated On: 3/14/05 at 12:05 AM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:19am

I think they proabably realized that Christina looks the same age, if not older than both Natacia and Solange. I don't know if my memory is correct but as I recall, Nikki and Helene have been around the block for quite a while. "if the goods are shopworn, don't put them in the window" helene says. So maybe they just realized that gee the current girls are great, but we want some beautiful, older chorus girls who'll give a little more weight to the dynamic of the trio. I always wondered why they cast Nikki and Helene as young as they originally did. Although I became a fan of natacia diaz when she did Petra in Kennedy Center's Night Music. Now this is simply me postulating cause I haven't seen the show yet. But I think it's an educated possibility. Who's knows. I honestly don't know why they're even bringing this show back. It had a major revival 20 yrs ago. There are shows that are GREAT and have NEVER been revived. ahhh well let's wait and see the outcome.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:59am

"Well, you got Trouble my friends..."

Sending out positive thoughts that things will work out.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 9:12am

Jazzy,

Are you suggesting that LaManna looks older than Diaz? Cause I ain't buying it!

[Karma76]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 9:51am

Well I have tickets for friday so I will let you know.

Problem though my sister is a fan of applegate (not so much musical theatre but goes to shows) well her 30th b-day was this weekend so me and my other sister (also not much of a theatre buff) bought her and us tickets so she could see Christina Applegate in the show. (I know you should never expect anything but you know when it is only running a week and as an out of town tryout you hope for the best) well now with all this news i am QUITE frightened. haha But will give my review. I am just scared since i have opening night tickets and I am not sure the new cast will have gelled quite yet, I think they will need a few runs

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 9:59am

Still, Charlotte's great. I've seen her in Company and of course, Carrie: The Musical. As the saying goes, you're in good hands with D'Amboise.

And of course, Denis is always terrific in every single thing he does.

[Karma76]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 10:08am

Yea I am sure she will do fine, but I bet now they have a tough time with tickets sales for the rest of the Boston Run. Friday they had TONS of seats open. So finding tickets close was not a problem. I had friends who were going to go but sadly are not now cause they wanted to see her in the role, (which I mean i have to admit I want to see her perform too since I have never seen her sing or dance live) But I am excited none the less. I just think it is going to be a shaky Boston run with all the changes to the cast

[Princeton78]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 11:04am

Karma..where are you sitting?
I'll be there Friday as well.
Should be interesting..

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 11:36am

Al Dente I'm saying La Manna IS older than Diaz. That makes a big big difference in a performance. personally there's something about Janine that looks older. They may look the same age in the face, but Janine carries herself onstage a little different than Diaz. Like I said before there's a sort of a weight to the way Janine carries herself, esp being a dancer.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 11:37am

I agree with you completely Margo. Bobbie is a boob.

[ChildofDestiny]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:37pm

Well Bobbie may be a boob but I sure do love that LaManna! Maybe they'll work some feathers into her costume a la Gertrude McFuzz.

[jim coleman]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:54pm

Walter Bobbie is a very lucky guy. An excellent performer, but not a director. Ann Reinking is probably the reason for CHICAGO's success, and FOOTLOOSE--well, need I say more. What's more,do we really need another revival of SWEET CHARITY? It wasn't a huge hit when it originally opened on Broadway, or in it's first revival. Christina Applegate is appealing, I will give you that, but that does not mean the she can carry a show originally built around the great Gwen Verdon. I really don't undestand the whole thing. I thought the Weissler's were smarter than that!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 6:37pm

i got to see Bobbie's WHITE CHRISTMAS on a business trip to SF. It was actually fairly well-directed. But i don't allow him much credit for the CHICAGO revival either. And he had a fairly top-notch cast to pull it off, and nearly direct-from-Fosse choreography, plus the preceding Encores version to "workshop" it. Everyone knows FOOTLOOSE was never to be an artistic triumph, but a way to make money hopefully, so i refuse to blame him for that. The fact that he came and went and came back on the CHARITY project with the Weisslers suggests some kind of conflict, but it might be a managerial one and have nothing to do with his rehearsal process. They don't have the most artistic reputation on B'way either.

There might be still a silk(y) purse out of the sow's ear of complications, but whether that purse will swing with Verdon's sass (and catch the tips for the dancer the Weissler's hope for) on B'way...well, only time will tell that. "If...they...could...see her NOW!"

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 3/14/05 at 7:57pm

Walter bobbie isnt that bad. and neither was footloose. comenguys, things are never THAT bad.

[justme2]

Posted: 3/15/05 at 2:20am

I have seen sharks circling dismembered bodies in the water show more manners than some of these Sweet Charity threads!

What is up with some of you? Are some of you on Reidel's payroll? You call yourselves broadway musical "fans"??? Do you have to wipe the drool from your keyboards as you type your acidic comments? I hope none of you, in your work, ever have to face comments like what you've said tonight..."Bobbie is a boob"? How old are you?

And, for the record, there is much more to Walter Bobbie than "Footloose".
He helmed the much lauded "Encores" program.
He conceived and directed "Grand Night for Singing".
His work with Encores continues even today.
His "White Christmas" production in SF last year was a critical and audience smash.
Fiorello
Golden Boy
Compleat Female Stage Beauty
Tenderloin
Twentieth Century
And Chicago, of course.
The list goes on....
But NO....he's having trouble with this show, so now he's a boob and some of you (and I do say some, as I see more mature posts among the many "circling sharks" threads)feel compelled to jump on a "let's mock the director, the actress, the whole show! Come on everyone!" boat.

And....
Many of the negative posters are the same ones weeks ago HAPPY for the show's successes in MN and Chicago. Looking forward to checking out Christina when she came to NY. Hoping for the best product to come of this effort. What changed your minds about a show you haven't even seen yet?

I am STILL hoping for the best, wishing Christina A better, thrilled for Charlotte, and hoping that the sharks will move on.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 3/15/05 at 5:32pm

I love Walter Bobbie, personally. Nothing matches his "Sit down, you're rockin' the boat." But thats just me.... and I will allow him as many less-than-stellar moves as he wants, just for Chicago alone.

And I liked Christina when I saw it....but I love Charlotte! Combining her and Denis O'Hare should be outrageous.

[camthom]

Posted: 3/15/05 at 5:49pm

So, Diaz and Solange didn't leave the show as one of the other posterd here thought may have happened. They were replaced. And yes Janine carries herself much older than Natascia and that may have been what they were looking for. But I also can't help but recognize the fact that the two of them were getting some of the best comments in Chicago reviews (and as a friend who saw it put it), the crowd JUMPED to its feet when they walked out for their curtain call.

What was also kind of lousy was the fact that they did not receive any kind of notice. It's rare that an actor being replaced does get notice, but it just seems obnoxious to have someone rehearsing in NYC and not say anything to the actor being replaced until right before their final show saying "Sorry, this will be your last performance." Kinda sucky I think.

As much as I'd like to see the show run and see people have work for a good long time. There's gotta be some karma comin back at some point soon.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/15/05 at 7:10pm

Do you know they weren't notified? I mean yeah it happens that way a lot but unless you have a direct link to backstage, then it's hard to tell WHAT happened. I for one think it stinks cause I like Natacia. But I must say Janine is great.

[justme2]

Posted: 3/15/05 at 8:47pm

Camthom,

I too was confused by the firing of these two performers, but, there must be reasons the creative team has. I'm waiting to see what happens in Boston. Perhaps they wanted another type of performance?

[jeromwash]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:03am

So I did some digging. I don't know about Diaz, but Sandy got no notice at all. A member of the cast told me that Solange was backstage after the Sunday show with friends who came to congratulate her on her performance, when the producer came in and told her she was fired. According to my source, there were rumors swirling around for weeks, but there was nothing she or Diaz could do but keep putting up their best performances. What a horrible situation to work in! WTF?

So anyway, apparently they told Solange that she was too young for the part. But my friend says that it is indeed because she and Diaz broke the first rule in theater (never upstage the star), that they were let go. Appparently there was a whole scene backstage with Applegate and others crying outside Natascia's and Solange's dressing rooms.

OH THE DRAMA!!!!!

Updated On: 3/18/05 at 12:03 AM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:11am

Well then good for them. If your supporting characters are btter than you,the lead, then you have no business being on stage with them. She broke her foot anyway...soooo now what? I'm sure Charlotte can hold her own.